Image-receiving sheet

Abstract

The present invention relates to an image-receiving sheet used in combination with a heat transfer sheet having a dye layer containing a dye which is melted or sublimated by heating and passed onto said image-receiving sheet, characterized in that a sheet-like substrate (11) includes on its surface a dye-receiving layer (12) for receiving a dye coming from said heat transfer sheet, said dye-receiving layer (12) comprising a copolymer obtained by the copolymerization of (i) vinyl chloride, (ii) an acrylic acid type monomer and (iii) a linear polymer having a vinyl group at an end. The present sheet of such a structure as mentioned above is improved in terms of dyeability and weather-resistance-after-printing, and excels particularly in the storability of printed images.

We claim: 
     
       1. An image-receiving sheet used in combination with a heat transfer sheet having a dye layer containing a dye which is melted or sublimated by heating and passed onto said image-receiving sheet, said image-receiving sheet comprising: a substrate, and   a dye-receiving layer formed on said substrate for receiving a dye transferred from said heat transfer sheet,   said dye-receiving layer comprising a copolymer obtained by the copolymerization of (i) vinyl chloride, (ii) an acrylic acid monomer and (iii) a linear polymer having a vinyl group at an end.   
     
     
       2. An image-receiving sheet as claimed in claim 1, wherein said linear polymer having a vinyl group at an end is a vinyl-modified polymer in which at least one end thereof is substituted by a vinyl group. 
     
     
       3. An image-receiving sheet as claimed in claim 1, wherein the copolymer forming said dye-receiving layer is a graft copolymer in which said linear polymer is grafted to a main chain of said copolymer. 
     
     
       4. An image-receiving sheet as claimed in claim 1, wherein said linear polymer having a vinyl group at an end comprises polystyrene 
     
     
       5. An image-receiving sheet as claimed in claim 1, wherein said linear polymer having a vinyl group at an end comprises a styrene/acrylonitrile copolymer. 
     
     
       6. An image-receiving sheet as claimed in claim 1, wherein said linear polymer having a vinyl group at an end comprises a polyvinyl chloride. 
     
     
       7. An image-receiving sheet as claimed in claim 1, wherein said linear polymer having a vinyl group at an end comprises a copolymer of polyvinyl chloride with vinyl acetate. 
     
     
       8. An image-receiving sheet as claimed in claim 1, wherein said linear polymer having a vinyl group at an end comprises a monomer or copolymer of an acrylic acid monomer. 
     
     
       9. An image-receiving sheet as claimed in claim 1, wherein said dye-receiving layer comprises a composition of said copolymer further blended with other resin. 
     
     
       10. An image-receiving sheet as claimed in claim 1, wherein an intermediate layer is provided between said sheet-like substrate and said dye-receiving layer. 
     
     
       11. An image-receiving sheet as claimed in claim 1, wherein the surface of said substrate has a center-line average roughness of 0.2 to 4.0 μmRa. 
     
     
       12. An image-receiving sheet as claimed in claim 1, wherein said substrate comprises a laminate obtained by extrusion-laminating a resin on the surface of a substrate material. 
     
     
       13. An image-receiving sheet as claimed in claim 12, wherein said resin to be extrusion-laminated contains an organic and/or inorganic filler.